Burning Down Barriers
by Mona101
Summary: Zuko's dreams haunt him as his destiny calls. How will his choices be affected, and will he find a friend in the most unlikely enemy? Review please.    Rating subject to change.
1. Day in the Life

"No!" A light sheen of sweat made his pale skin glow with the radiance of the torches surrounding his bed. His breathing was uneven and his pupils dilated as he slid out of his bed, walking towards the exit. Zuko shook off his nightmarish sights and opened the metal door, his feet padding along the cool surface of the ground. He gently hugged himself as he walked towards the bathroom, realizing his dreams were getting worse with every passing night. He opened the door and cupped some water in his hands, standing over the washbasin. He splashed the cool water onto his face, and then stared at his reflection in the water. For a moment, he saw himself as a young child, still flawless, with that naive smile on his face. He blinked his eyes and saw his current self now, his long hair not quite covering the scar that marred the left half of his shocked face. He gently pressed one finger to the rough skin there, before angrily looking away from the washbasin, remembering the meaning behind the cursed scar. He had been banished, scarred by his own father. His honor was lost. A tear fell from his closed lids, traveling down his nose and into the washbasin. This was morning for him for the past few weeks, each time more painful than the last.

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><p>Iroh had heard the footsteps of his troubled nephew that early dawn, knowing that something was wrong. He shifted over in his bed, staring at his door and waiting for the Prince's footsteps coming back to the door, but when they didn't come, he sighed and got out of bed. He knew, along with most of the ship's crew, that lately Zuko was on edge. He would tell no one why, simply ask to be left alone. Now, as his uncle, the former prince was worried for him. He knew when something was troubling the young man, and he was the only one who could possibly help, it seemed. He walked down the hallways, yawning loudly as he neared the bathroom door. Zuko looked up from the washbasin and splashed water on his face once more, hiding his tears.<p>

"Nephew, the Sun hasn't even risen yet. Why are you awake?" the old man inquired, sleep apparent in his voice. Zuko heated up his body and the water on his face turned to steam, as he turned to his wise uncle. To be honest, he wasn't sure what to tell him. Would he understand the dreams he was having lately? Zuko simply looked down, shrugging his shoulders once as to answer without speaking. Iroh knew Zuko better than anyone, perhaps even Zuko himself, and had the strong feeling that his nephew was hiding something. Putting a hand on his shoulder, the Dragon of the West looked Zuko in the eyes, seeing turmoil and conflict in his melting, golden irises. "If you ever need to talk to somebody, you know I'm here for you, nephew." He said quietly, before turning around and leaving to get ready for the day.

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><p>Zuko is found an hour later, meditating in his room, by a servant on the ship. The young man knew that the Prince had quite a temper, so he refrained from coming inside to clean the room. He stood in the doorway, wondering whether to move on or wait for him to finish. Zuko noticed him and stood up.<p>

"Come in, do your work. Just don't bother me." he said quietly, before sitting back down and closing his eyes, relighting the candles in front of him. The servant hastily cleaned the room and left, mumbling a "good day" before moving on to the next room. When he left, Zuko sighed and stood up, walking over to his bed. He took out a small scroll from beneath his pillow, unfurling it and staring at it glumly.

"Mother…" he whispered to himself, closing his eyes and shutting the scroll, holding it close to him. His dreams had been very regretful, about the day he had been scarred. His mother was the only one who might've been kind to him in his childhood, and now she was gone. He saw glimpses of her in his dreams, how she would smile at him and tell him he had done well. He gently tucked the scroll back beneath his pillow, deciding to go check on the rest of the ship.

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><p>General Iroh had been walking down the hallway as Zuko left his room, a brow raised in thought at his realization the young prince hadn't eaten that morning. He walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Are you sure everything is alright, nephew? You seem tense…" he said thoughtfully, stopping the now nervous fire bender in his tracks. Zuko shook his head, turning to his Uncle carefully.<p>

"No, I'm not alright. I need time to think, uncle… It feels like I messed up somewhere," his voice just above a whisper as he turned away and began to walk to his destination. Was he right to be following the Avatar? Was that his true calling? Besides, was he really ensured a person like his father would keep his word…? Zuko sighed sharply and kept his chin up, walking towards the deck of the ship, hoping to find some peace in the gentle break of waves against the metal hull of Fire Nation property. Iroh stood where he was, one hand at his chin. Zuko seemed to be realizing his destiny.

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><p>On the deck of the ship, Zuko stood stoically. His eyes closed, and lungs open, he felt the ocean spray against his skin. His nightmare came back to him, making him clench his fists as the vivid picture came back.<p>

_Thirteen and innocent, Zuko stood before his father. "I won't fight you!" he yelled, eyes filled with fear. The Fire Lord smiled evilly, coming closer to the young child. "You are not worthy of being my son. You are a _failure_!" his voice echoed across the giant black abyss they stood in, as the Fire Lord came closer and yet closer still. He raised one palm to Zuko's face, and all he could see was an orange blaze, skin burning and tears falling. The Fire Lord laughed maniacally at his rubbish son, thrusting out another fist and burning the poor child once more. Soon, the traitor stopped moving, still on the ground. Feeling no pain for the loss of his only son, his father turned and left, leaving Zuko dead and uncared for. All he could hear was that one word, repeated over and over: Failure. Failure. Failure.  
><em>

Zuko's eyes flew open, his skin tingling as if the burns were truly there. He despised himself, thought of himself as the dream implied. If he was to restore his honor, he would have to try harder. But something in the back of his head clicked, as if the dream held some other meaning to it. The prince couldn't figure it out, so he left the thought adrift in his labyrinth of a mind.

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><p><strong>AN: Well this is it so far. I hope you like it ^.^ If I don't get at least one review, however, I'm going to assume no one is reading and stop updating. There's no point if I have no readers, right? SO REVIEW IF YOU LIKE :D **


	2. Incidental

Incidental

Zuko looked down at the yellowing paper of the scroll he was working on, ink all but dripping off of his feather quill. Gently pressing the tip to the paper, he made thin strokes of calligraphy, writing a poem to try and channel out his feelings, as his Uncle had suggested. He growled when writer's block hit him, wondering how this was supposed to _ease_ his stress. Uncle Iroh could be so unreliable sometimes… Feeling rage build up inside of him at how pathetic his writing was coming out, he took a shaky breath and put away the ink and paper, standing up and leaving his small room. His destination, anywhere he could be alone.

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><p>Walking down the thin corridors of the alloy ship, Zuko felt enclosed but safe, in some strange sense. He thought that nothing should threaten him, being of the Fire Nation, but these days he wasn't quite sure who he was anymore. His goals in the future, his plans for family and such… he never really thought past getting the Avatar and regaining honor.<p>

Lost in thought, Zuko walked right into one of the maids, whose cheeks reddened with guilt and embarrassment at being in the Prince's way, dropping her load of laundered clothing. She prayed to Agni that he wouldn't burn her, or worse, as punishment. "S-sorry!" she stammered out, staring at him with terrified onyx eyes. Her silky black tresses fell forward as she quickly bowed her head ashamed.

Zuko raised an eyebrow, before smiling delicately at the woman. "Are you okay? I apologize for bumping into you…" he took notice of the clothing on the floor, furrowing his eyebrows. "Here, let me be of assistance." He kneeled down and began to refold some of the clothing, smiling still despite the horrid mood he had been in a moment earlier. He realized that being nice to others wasn't too hard, and it hid the emotions he truly felt. If there was anything he disliked, it was being pestered about what was wrong. Wasn't his scar proof enough?

When the clothing was back in the wicker basket it belonged in, Zuko gave the maid another soft smile before continuing on his way, his stoic expression coming back into place. The maid, bewildered, stared after the prince until he was out of sight. She walked straight to the maid's quarters, gossiping and spreading word that Zuko had changed. Of course, the others were beyond skeptical of her claims, yet they all hoped deep inside it was true.

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><p>Gossip spread like wildfire throughout the ship, in but an hour the whole crew knowing of the day's incident. Zuko, however, was oblivious to the fact, bending fire on the empty deck. He took his stance, bare chest gleaming, two fists thrust out, and orange flames spewing about. Kick here, punch there, evasion tactic somewhere in between; this was physical exercise, <em>this <em>eased stress. Zuko channeled his chi to his palms and heels, shooting out fire and twirling gracefully, shouting with each action.

His uncle watched with interest, seeing all of his nephew's techniques and styles. Albeit, nothing compared to his Dragon of the West performance, the old man thought over a sip of Ginseng. He raised an eyebrow when some of the maids stared at the fire bender, before chattering amongst themselves. This seemed to have been happening everywhere the young man went, raising the elder's curiosity. But he could wait until after the little show was over to ask the main star of today's conversations.

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><p>An hour passed before the young fire bender tired himself out, and sat on the side of the ship to catch his breath. His eyes scanned the sparkling waters, wondering what fish lurked beneath. Iroh took his chance and shuffled over to where his nephew sat, smiling above the rim of his teacup. "It seems you are quite popular amongst the ladies, nephew." He teased gently, chuckling when Zuko's expression twisted. He turned to his Uncle with an awkward expression. "What are you talking about, Uncle? I don't even know the name of <em>one <em>of our maids. What have I done to have them talking?" he inquired quietly, knowing someone could hear. Iroh shrugged, also confused as to why this was so. Zuko wondered to himself if they knew about his encounter with the laundry woman, and that was the cause behind everything. Zuko sighed; women could be _so_ dramatic sometimes. Iroh was still confused, so he shrugged once more before walking off, deciding to fulfill his appetite for tea.

Alone once more, Zuko looked out over the water, another dream coming to him.

_Ursa gently wound her arms around the young boy, kissing the top of his head before glaring at Azula. "You know you're not supposed to be like that with your brother. I wouldn't expect behavior like this from a lady like yourself." She snipped, gently holding her crying son. "I won't leave you, don't worry. There there, you're a wonderful son. Calm down my dear." She whispered soothing words to him, gently rubbing his back as she did so. Zuko looked up at his mother, eyes full of hope, "I'm, I'm a wonderful son?" he asked quietly, wondering if she had just said that to calm him down. The woman smiled and nodded, "Very wonderful." Zuko grinned back at her, hugging her tightly. But something was wrong… the air was chilly and clouds rolled over as a figure loomed over behind. It was Zuko's father, staring with hatred at the happy scene. He ordered men to carry Ursa away, Zuko staring with wide eyes and pawing at his mother, who was being hoisted further from his grasp. "Mother!" he yelled, trying to run towards her, but every step he took bringing him further away from her. She opened her mouth to say something, but was soon out of sight. Zuko, heartbroken and crushed, turned to his father. "Where are they taking her? Why are you doing this?" he asked, tears falling from his eyes. The Fire Lord turned away from his son, the edge of his lips curling upward in a smirk, not answering his son. _

Zuko shook his head, vision focused back to the serene waves before him. He needed to find his mother one of these days, and find out what had truly happened all those moons ago. Zuko rose from where he sat, drifting inside the quarters and sitting down on his bed, not noticing the crew members amongst him on the way. It wasn't nighttime yet, the sun still high in the sky, but Zuko needed rest. So he lay on the mattress, staring at the metal ceiling above him, arms crossed on his chest. He rose and set with the sun, but he didn't have unlimited energy, sadly. Time flew by as Zuko laid there, the occasional maid peeking in and pondering about it. Soon, dinnertime came, and Iroh checked in on his nephew.

"You haven't eaten all day. Come nephew, you mustn't starve to death." His uncle said, watching as the fire bender stood and turned to him. The two walked silently to the cafeteria, not saying a word to another.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for the feedback, and sorry if I seemed a bit pushy earlier. It seems that no one bothers to review even if it's not much effort to do so, but that isn't always the case I'm sure. Well I'm on a busy schedule, so I will try my best to update regularly. ^^; Don't forget to comment :)**


	3. Bait

Bait

Weeks passed, each as uneventful as the last, until finally the gleaming Tribes of the North could be seen on the horizon. Zuko smirked; the Avatar was probably hiding with his friends and that flying beast. He wondered to himself how such a large animal could fly, carrying all its weight. With a shrug, the prince made his way to the very far tip of the deck, looking out at the bright white wonderland they had come to. The air had become chillier, so Zuko turned up the heat in his body, not wanting to miss his chance of getting the avatar over some stupid weather. "Don't hesitate! Break down the walls, do what you have to, but get us in that tribe!" he yelled at the captain, who nodded and carried out his orders. The prince had a warm feeling. He was this close to regaining his honor, just a few steps.

The ship's hull crashed through the thick ice walls, fire benders and soldiers storming out like a sea of metal death. Everywhere, people screamed, houses were destroyed, all the Fire Nation troops looking for one thing. Zuko stepped out of the ship after a moment, smiling maniacally at all of the chaos before him. "I want the Avatar, alive!" His voice boomed out across the shining pathways. This wouldn't be easy, and the innocent water tribe would have to rebuild, but Zuko wanted his honor back with any consequences.

Soon, his sharp golden eyes took notice of one of the pestering Avatar's friends. It was the water bender girl. She froze some of the soldiers and ran up to Zuko, with a wave of water before her. Zuko scoffed and shot fire at the water, steam forming at the collision. Through the thick fog, he snuck towards the confused water bender, and grabbed her by the arms. If the Avatar wanted to play hide and seek, maybe some bartering would convince to come out.

Katara yelled as pale hands gripped her arms, although they were surprising warm. She struggled but the hold only tightened its grip. Zuko began to walk her to the ship, throwing her over his shoulder when she wouldn't walk, causing her to yell in his ear to let her go. He yelled at the troops to come back, the tribe in mayhem as the many soldiers boarded the ship and began to leave. Zuko smirked when he saw the big animal gliding through the sky, the Avatar obviously on board. He wasn't going to waste his energy and try to ground the bison, so he would take the girl and wait. It was ironically similar to fishing. Let the bait dangle on the line, and when the prey is close enough, grab it out of the water.

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><p>The ship began to pull back as Zuko stood on the deck, still holding Katara hostage for the air bender to see. He had now put her down in front of him, her arms behind her back. Purposely, he raised his temperature so that his hands hurt her if she tried to escape, but he didn't want to harm the girl too badly. She was innocent after all.<p>

Katara growled at him, not enjoying being held prisoner, and tried to be clever, kicking backwards but only making Zuko angrier. Becoming tired of her behavior, Zuko picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder as he had done before. She banged her small hands on his back, and he only smirked at how ineffective her attempts were. He walked inside the ship; the Avatar would be angry enough by now.

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><p>Once Zuko was in his room, he put down Katara in front of him, blocking the door so she wouldn't try to escape. He knew she was witty, but he would make sure to keep her as bait. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the bratty fire prince before her. "What do you want with me?" she asked, voice tainted with annoyance and hatred. For whatever reason, Zuko felt hurt that anyone would use such a tone at him, but he kept his stoic expression and clasped his hands behind him. "If I want the Avatar, I'm sure he'll care enough about his girlfriend to come to me instead of me chasing him. What I mean is, you're here as bait. I won't lie to you, there isn't anything you can do about your situation." His voice portrayed no emotion, but his amber eyes gleamed.<p>

Katara blushed at being called Aang's girlfriend, but simply shrugged it off. She wondered where she would be staying… what would happen to her while she was here. She couldn't help but shiver under the look Zuko gave her, almost like a spider to his dinner. Her gaze drifted to the scar on his face, but she quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring.

To her luck, Zuko had seen, and didn't take it so lightly. His hand found its way to the rugged skin of his face, a frown settling on his features. Even his prisoner could barely stand the sight of it. He was an atrocity to the eye, it was true. He looked down, feeling horrible, before finishing what he had to say.

"Because you aren't a criminal, and haven't done anything to be treated as a prisoner yet, I will let you live amongst the maids. Whether they accept you or not is not my problem. But… if I catch you trying to escape, or sabotaging any routine of the ship, I will be sure to put you in a prison cell, and the conditions there aren't exactly preferable." He said quietly, looking back up at the tanned water bender. She seemed a bit shocked, raising an eyebrow at the prince. Why didn't he just throw her in the brig and forget about her? With a shrug, Katara began to walk forward, wondering where the maid's quarters were.

Zuko smirked, grabbing her arm tightly, "Whoa there, little girl. Let's not be hasty." Her cheeks bloomed red like the sweet summer blossom when he grabbed her once more. She wondered why he did that so often… then again, she wasn't bound by chains yet.

Zuko let go of the flustered water bender and began out the door, pausing and motioning for her to follow. "Don't make me carry you again." His voice was teasing, which made her stumble forward.

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><p>The walk down the metal corridor was silent, Katara following Zuko hesitantly. She felt imprisoned already; the small hallways cramped and bland. She wished she was back at home again, or with Appa in the sky. This was definitely not a lifestyle she could get used to, but it seemed this was home to Zuko. She wanted to ask him about his past, seeing he held many secrets just by the expression he always wore. Katara mentally slapped herself after a moment. He was the enemy… She wasn't supposed to give a damn what happened to him.<p>

Finally, Zuko opened a door and peeked in, finding the maids all eating lunch. He smiled carefully at them, before turning back to Katara and motioning inside. "This is the water tribe girl. You will treat her like your own. Once I have the Avatar… she can choose to go home if she wishes. Keep an eye on her, don't let her escape." He instructed, seeing the laundry woman from earlier. She gave Katara a strange look before going back to eating. Zuko left after a moment, feeling the need to fire bend.

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><p>As bright bursts of orange sparks flew through the air, Katara was found bending water out of wet laundry outside. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Zuko practice his fire bending, all the while doing her work. She was glad that she only had to do simple chores like so, instead of being a prisoner with nothing to do until Aang decided to stop by. She wasn't even sure he knew Zuko had her, even after the little display on the deck.<p>

After a little bit, the laundry was finished, and Katara folded it all into the brown wicker basket. She leaned back and watched the prince channel his feelings and energy into his bending, wondering if she would be able to practice with such emotion when she water bended. Zuko tired out by then, having practiced for over an hour, and set off the last, large blast of fire into the ocean. He wiped some sweat off of his forehead, glancing Katara watching him from the corner of his eye. The fire bender turned to her, smirking now. "Don't you have work to be doing?" he asked mockingly. Her cheeks flared and she quickly grabbed the laundry, running into the ship. Zuko smirked; she was so easy to embarrass.

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><p><strong>AN: Thanks for all the positive feedback! ****:D**** I'm glad to know I'm doing this fanfic a bit better than the first one. Katara has arrived! She, although not exactly a love interest as of yet, plays a big part of the story later on. I have so much in mind that it will take chapters and chapters to fit it all… Oh well. That's a good thing for you readers I suppose. Well enough rambling on from me ****XD**** Let me hear your thoughts, suggestions, or feedback ****:P**


	4. Come First Light

Come First Light

Katara woke up as the first rays of the sun gently warmed her eyelids. She gave a stretch and a yawn before she left for the kitchen, remembering her assigned task. Every morning, she was to wake up and carry the prince his food, since lately he simply didn't go to morning meal. The young water bender wondered why he would skip food so often… very contrasting to the meat-loving brother of hers.

As she pondered, her tiny feet padded on the metal floor, albeit not loud enough to wake anyone on the ship. She tried to remember where the kitchen was supposed to be, walking in that general direction. Zuko's room was on the way, the curious prisoner passing by silently… Katara wondered if he was even awake yet.

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><p>Inside the metal confinements of Zuko's room, the scarred man sat on his bed, head hanging low as he got over the outlandish dream he had. His heart still beat quickly, and his eyes were red with the beginnings of tears. He stayed in one spot, his head ringing with the voices of his subconscious. <em>You have failed me, son. You are good for nothing. You will NEVER restore your honor, filthy swine.<em>

"Never…." He shakily whispered, clenching his fists in the silk covers of his bed. Were his dreams trying to tell him the truth? He couldn't process the fact that he might be doing all of this for nothing… simply to satiate the greedy thirst of his father for ultimate power. Zuko sighed, stress eating at him.

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><p>Katara stood in the doorway, Zuko too caught up in his thoughts to notice her. She felt strangely sympathetic for the Fire Nation Prince… Then she frowned, remembering that the Fire Nation was filled with evil scum. They killed her mother, none of them deserved empathy. She brought herself out of her thoughts and lightly knocked on the door behind her, holding a tray of food in one hand. Zuko's head snapped up, his stoic expression quickly replacing the bewildered one Katara had seen.<p>

He stood up, putting a hand behind his head sheepishly. "Uhh… Thanks." he appreciated that Katara had woken up early for him, also figuring the tray of cuisine was his. He sat back down on the bed and motioned to the small table he used to scribe things, indicating Katara to put down the tray. His eyes scanned the room leisurely, only because he didn't want to explain to the water tribe girl what his previous scene was about. It was too much even for him to process.

Katara put the food on his desk, running a hand along the smooth wood surface in awe before turning back to the prince, who obviously had a great deal on his shoulders. "Shall I leave you be?" she asked calmly, slightly turning to the door. Zuko glanced over her figure before nodding, realizing he was better off alone. Then again… in the silence, all he would hear would be those demeaning phrases from his dreams. "No… Why don't you stay here? Unless you have some urgent work to be doing, which I doubt, I'd like to… share your company." The words felt stuck in his throat; it was difficult to admit he wanted to talk to someone other than Iroh about himself.

Katara simply nodded, thinking to herself that something was off. The prince took her as prisoner, surely not as a guest or friend to spend the morning chatting with. She stood in front of him, not wanting to sit down next to him. Prisoner or not, she knew where she belonged. Not with the likes of Fire Nation.

There was a thick silence in the air; you could cut it with a butter knife. Finally Katara turned to the table and handed Zuko his tray of food, impatiently watching him swallow it down as if it were poison. "Do you really hate eating that much?" she inquired, her voice tinted with irritation. Zuko shook his head with a sigh, putting the tray next to him on the bed. "I've been stressed… That's why I wanted you here. So I would be distracted." He explained carefully, not wanting to make things seem bigger than they truly were. Katara nodded to show she was listening, one eyebrow raised.

"What have you been stressed about?" she questioned after a moment or two. Zuko shrugged, not wanting to answer. He felt like he was with Iroh… without the riddle in every sentence. There was only so much he could admit, and that was because he didn't fully understand everything. If he himself couldn't comprehend it, why bother looking idiotic trying to explain it? So a simple shrug conveyed the message of doubt and uncertainty.

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><p>The rest of the meal was silent, Katara simply standing pretty before her captor, waiting for him to find something to say. Her eyes were filled with rejection and hatred as she glared at the scarred man before her. She wanted to yell at him and hit him, blame him for the death of her mother, even though she knew it wasn't his fault directly. But being part of the Fire Nation was good enough reason to blame him…<p>

Zuko saw the hatred that Katara was sending towards him, her whole body radiating with enraged signals. He wondered what he had done to deserve loathing, when he realized that he was doing so much wrong to her in a personal kind of way. He had destroyed the Northern Water Tribe, separated the water-bender from her family, and planned to use her to capture her boyfriend. Zuko face-palmed mentally; of _course_ she would be considerate.

Zuko finished his small meal and smiled awkwardly at Katara, who took the dish and scurried off, not wanting to be in his presence any longer. The prince sighed, flopping back down on his bed in frustration. Why couldn't life be easier? He couldn't even talk to a damned girl, of all people.

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><p>The next few days were spent coursing the seas, in search of the flying bison or clues about the whereabouts of the young Avatar. Katara always stayed out of Zuko's path when possible, dropping off his food in the morning but disappearing right after. Zuko, on the other hand, tried to keep himself busy and his mind occupied, some of the sights at night giving him shock. The avatar was smart, evading the Fire Nation ship and planning an escape for Katara.<p>

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><p>"Okay, Sokka. I know how we're going to get your sister back," Aang began. Sokka was busy chewing on a piece of dried meat they had cooked earlier, listening intently. "Go on…" he said between bites. Aang drew a small figure in the dirt, of the ship and where they were at the moment. He drew a line connecting the two. "We're right up here, away from the ship's sight, while it goes about aimlessly trying to find us. They want us to come to them, to get Katara back, but I know how we can have her escape without them knowing. Late in the night, maybe tomorrow, I'll glide onto the ship alone. I'll find Katara, we'll get off of the ship together, and then we can continue my training." Aang looked up at Sokka, his determined expression faltering, replaced with an anxious, annoyed one. "Are you even listening? This is <em>Katara<em> we're saving!" he whined, seeing Sokka was fighting with Momo over a small fruit. Sokka dropped Momo and nodded, "You're going to do all the work while I keep Appa and Momo safe. I got you." He said nonchalantly, ripping off another strip of meat with his teeth. Aang sighed loudly, falling backwards on the soft grass in frustration. Sokka could be such a dunce sometimes.

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><p><strong>AN: Aang & Sokka have been added to the list of characters :P I'm glad that everyone is enjoying this. I got 133 visitors and counting already! I'm surprised I have such a grand number of readers. I have to thank you all for reading, as well as supporting me ^.^ Can't wait to hear some feedback. **


	5. Knight in Shining Armor

Knight in Shining Armor

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><p>Weeks passed, the young water bender serving the Fire Nation ship as crew, not having a death wish. If she disobeyhed, she would surely be beheaded... or worse. She saw in the time she was there that the Fire Nation Prince was popular amongst the maids, but she only scoffed at their petty talk. They portrayed him as a dashing rebel, but Katara linked him to the nation that took her mother from her. She could never be symphatetic to him, yet he seemed troubled beneath his nonchalant mask... She was a caring person at heart, she couldn't deny the fact that Zuko was alone. Katara was very confused as to how to treat him, how to approach the man who gave her mixed signals, who seemed so far off... so she remained indifferent, as if he were but a stranger.<p>

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><p>The dark canvas of the sky was painted with dazzling stars as the full moon hid behind drifting clouds. The breeze was cool, strong. Deep blue waves crashed against gleaming metal with malicious power, a storm brewing further west off the horizon. It was an atrocious night for a fire-bender…<p>

Not too soon was a lone figure seen in the sky, a bird perhaps… Nay, upon closer inspection, it was Aang. The young air bender dove down towards the ship, landing lightly on the deck, but hiding out of the guards' sight. He closed his glider so it seemed a large staff, and looked around him cautiously. If he was going to save Katara, he was going to have to make use of the black shadows of night. His small feet had him running inside the ship, the last place he would expect to find Katara, so the most strategic place for her to be imprisoned. His wise choice brought him to the kitchen, where Katara was just finishing the dishes. Most of the ship was asleep, lone Katara still working.

"Aang!" she whispered. Quietly, she trotted to the open doorway where the air bender stood, looking sober. He put a finger to his lips before turning, looking down the hallway in case a guard was inspecting the hall. Aang's eyes widened as footsteps came down the metal corridor, making clanging noises as if whoever was coming was wearing metal shoes. A guard was Aang's first thought, so he hid behind one of the metal counters of the kitchen, Katara hurriedly going back to work. The man who stepped in, however, was no guard.

Zuko stepped inside, an eyebrow raised at Katara. "Why aren't you asleep, water bender? You worked enough in the day." Katara put down the dish she was wiping with a cloth, and looked at him, a bit flustered and confused. "I should be asking why _you_ are awake. I'm a water bender, so my energy comes from the moon. But fire benders are Sun children… Night is no friend to you." she raised an eyebrow at the fire bender, who lost his stoic expression for a moment before answering. "I came because, because I had a nightmare, and I needed a glass of water…" he answered just above a whisper, his raspy voice sounding vulnerable for the moment. The two stood silent, awkwardly, before Katara went back to working. Whereas Zuko simply stood in his place, unsure what to do.

Aang, hiding behind the counter, was a bit irritated that Katara was actually talking to the fire prince, as if she weren't a prisoner. Unable to bear sitting still for so long, and wanting to blow up the traitor prince who made his life so complicated, he stood up and blasted Zuko with a whirlwind of air, grabbing Katara's hand and running for the door. Zuko, stunned for but a moment, blocked off his path and shot flames at him, which Aang deflected with a twirl of his staff. Katara bended some water from the kitchen sink and froze Zuko, giving her and Aang a chance to run. Zuko growled angrily and heated himself up, the ice melting quickly. But the two had already reached the deck.

Aang opened his glider and quickly realized a flaw to his plan… He couldn't take Katara with him on the small wooden aircraft. It couldn't hold that much weight. As the two stood on the deck a bit confusedly, Zuko ran out of the main door and blasted a fireball at Aang. The air bender was quick to jump over it, blowing a fierce wind at the scarred menace. "I'm not giving up, Avatar. I _will_ regain my honor!" Zuko yelled, standing up after the impact of the blast. Katara bended some water from the glistening seas beneath the ship, and encased Zuko in ice once more. This time, however, the salt in the water made it difficult to freeze completely, and it would shatter quickly.

Katara suddenly had an idea of how to escape. "Aang! Come with me!" she yelled, about to jump off of the ship. Aang, an air bender, was a bit skeptical but he jumped off with her into the ocean. Katara was quick in her bending and made an air bubble around them both, taking them underwater and zooming away from the fire nation carrier.

Zuko broke free of the ice trap, running over to the side of the ship where the avatar and his friend had jumped off. There was no trace of them seen, just foamy waves. He yelled in frustration and shot a blast of fire into the ocean, hoping to hit the duo. Luckily, they were already meters away.

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><p>Katara and Aang came to the shore after a moment, Aang giving her a big hug. "Thank goodness you're safe, Katara…" His cheeks tainted red after a moment of realization, Aang let go of the water tribe beauty and walked towards camp, hoping Sokka hadn't done anything stupid in his absence. Katara smiled at the young Avatar and followed, happy at the thought of being with her brother and Aang again. Although they were always moving around or running away from someone… it felt like home when she was with them.<p>

When they arrived at the small camp, Sokka's eyes widened as he practically tackled the water bender. "Little sis!" he shrieked. Katara gigged and hugged her older brother back. "I missed you too, Sokka." The siblings gave each other a warm smile before letting go of each other, feeling like a family again. Sokka looked down after a moment, remembering their father. "I miss him…" Katara nodded, knowing his thoughts. The two had a moment of silence, before Katara broke it, "That would mean the world to me. If they were both here…" she held her necklace tightly, feeling a few tears sting at her eyes.

Aang, on the side of the group, looked down awkwardly, understanding they hadn't seen their parents in a long time. He remembered Monk Gyatso, how his bones lay amongst rubble of fire nation helms. The young boy shuddered at the memory, saddened that his people were savagely killed. He truly was the last air bender…

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><p>Zuko did not sleep the rest of that night, knowing that he had failed in his plan and would have to continue trying to capture the Avatar. He held his face in his hands as he sat on his small cot, unable to figure out what to do next. The gentle flames in the torches above him were dying out, the Fire Prince too ashamed in himself to give them more power. The room was dull, like the mood of the user.<p>

Silently, he went over the flaws of his scheme in his head. He had captured the water bender, had the Avatar just in his grasp. If it were just Aang, without the sneaky girl... perhaps he would have better luck. She could freeze him, but it always took him a moment to heat up. He couldn't just break free immediately. The Fire Prince pondered over the skills of all of the Avatar's friends, realizing the young boy wouldn't be as easy to catch as it had seemed at first. The first time they had encountered, all Zuko had seen was a 12 year old boy. The true strength behind him, Zuko had never pondered.

Attempt after attempt had made Zuko weary... He didn't want to continue failing, he only wanted his honor back. He wanted more than anything to make his father proud, not to be seen as the worthless child he should have never had. If only there was an easier way to complete the task...

With these thoughts he sulked, until the Sun had risen, and the Fire Prince snapped out of his sorrowful state. Mourning over his loss wasn't going to get him anywhere, he knew it better than anyone. So he stood, and he took control. If there was a better way to do this, he was going to find it. He wouldn't be defeated by a child any longer.

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><p><strong>AN: I have edited the ending to clarify some things... My thoughts are very scattered right now . With a flu it's not easy to write, also why I didn't update for a week or more. D: Well, tell me what you thought about this chapter, any suggestions comments or feedback are appreciated! :) **


	6. Fire Fighter

**A/N: Thank you for clarifying where things made little sense, and I'm **_**really**_** sorry that my thoughts are very jumbled up right now . I'm so sick right now that I can barely breathe, let alone think straight… I have edited the ending of the previous chapter, so be sure to check that out before beginning chapter 6. ^.^; Also I'm sorry my updates are more spread out, but I've been spending more time fighting disease than writing. I'll even make this chapter longer than usual to make up for it. Enjoy :)**

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><p><span>Fire Fighter<span>

There was a meeting between the main heads of each panel of crewmembers, a few moons later. Zuko and Iroh were the banished royals, but they were still held high in respect, so they sat at the front of the group. The rest were all situated around a metal desk, maps laid out across the top, in the captain's deck.

Zuko studied the map carefully, looking at the area they were currently in. His Uncle was unsure what his nephew's plans were, as usual, but usually he never succeeded. Zuko looked up, still without a plan. "Give me a report about each of your panels." He ordered, looking at all of them sternly.

The first to speak was the Captain of the ship, clearing his throat to direct attention to himself. "We have no set course, Prince, but we are traveling in the direction that the Avatar seems to be heading. We speculate he is on his way to the Earth Kingdom, perhaps to complete his training." His voice was level and he showed no sign of uneasiness as he reported, however he subconsciously hoped this wasn't bad news to the Fire Prince.

Zuko simply nodded, looking at the Head Chef now. "How are our food provisions? How long will we last until we need to dock and resupply?" the scarred young man inquired. The chef took a moment to recall the supply listings of the morning before replying. "About two more weeks, sir, on a rationed diet, is left of the food. The water supply, however, is running dangerously low. We will need to dock at the nearest port for water, and we can resupply our food provisions as well." He stated, his voice sounding raspy, as it had always been. He was a bit of a plump fellow, a food lover, yet he was very reliable when it came to rationing. He wasn't known to take extra food for himself, and his work in the kitchen was remarkable. Worthy to be in a restaurant, Iroh thought of him.

Zuko looked at the map once more and found a close port, about two day's journey from their current location. "Here, it is Fire Nation controlled… We might have better chance of resupplying at Fire Nation ports than other nations'." He explained quietly. Iroh was impressed that Zuko was so skilled at setting courses and leading people, since he was very young.

The rest of the meeting was spent going over the activity done over the past month, and was dismissed an hour after. Zuko did not exactly enjoy meetings, especially with the bad experience he had, but he understood how crucial they were. If he did not preset a course for his crew, they would veer off course, or try to commit mutiny of some sort. Such were Fire Nation people.

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><p>Meanwhile, the Avatar had set his course to Ba Sing Se, although he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to simply fly into the bustling capital on Appa. Katara was busy washing out some of Sokka's clothing, using her bending to her advantage. Sokka, the "warrior," sat with the map in front of him, upside down. "Does anyone understand this?" he asked a bit loudly. Katara took a glimpse at the map, before rolling her eyes and going back to work. "It's upside down, genius." She pointed out. Sokka turned the map around and his cheeks went a light shade of red. "I knew that! I was just trying to look at it from all angles, you know?" he said nervously. Katara nodded, "Yeah yeah, I believe you."<p>

Sokka sighed, looking out over Appa's saddle. He furrowed his brows after a moment, seeing something gleaming in the ocean. "Aang… I think we're being followed." He said worriedly. Aang's eyes widened and he jumped to the back, looking at the spot Sokka had pointed out. "Oh no…" he whispered. After a moment, his expression became a bit annoyed, "Why does he keep following _me_…? Isn't there something better he could be doing? He's a Prince, for goodness sake!" Katara stared at Aang, trying to remember what the Prince had told her the other day.

_Zuko took the tray of food from Katara, expecting her to rush off as was usual. This morning, however, she stood still before him, eying him suspiciously. "Why do you want the Avatar so badly? What will capturing him accomplish?" she inquired, looking very irritated. Zuko didn't answer her until after a moment, looking away as he did. "I want my honor, my kingdom back. My father hates me, and the only way to get his love is to bring him the ultimate prize… the Avatar, the one obstacle keeping him from absolute rule." He said quietly, his expression losing its usual composure. Hesitantly, he grabbed one of her hands and put it on his scar, holding it tight lest she would cringe and pull away. Katara couldn't help but frown at the banished prince, trying to pull her hand from his iron grip. "My father did this to me, it is what marks me as a failure… I wish to right my mistakes while I have my second chance." Katara felt his grip eventually loosen, and she quickly pulled her hand away, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed. Yet again, she had that strange feeling of sympathy for him, yet burning hatred attempted to counter it. Wanting only to despise her captor, Katara swiftly turned away, leaving to finish her chores. She didn't glance back at the troubled young man. _

Katara snapped out of the memory after a moment, looking out over Appa's saddle. She stared at the passing landscapes, thinking to herself. Sokka and Aang noticed this, a worried glance exchanged. "Katara… Did Zuko tell you something?" Sokka asked quietly. She looked at him and shook her head gently, not wanting to tell either of them anything that might make the Fire Nation prince seem human. "He's evil, Sokka. That's all I know." She said quietly, a hand clenching her mother's pendant. Aang nodded in agreement with Katara, crawling back to the reins. "Let's make camp somewhere. We could all use some sleep." He said. The water tribe siblings nodded, preparing their things.

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><p>Zuko stood on the deck, staring at the gray dot in the sky that must've been Appa. He growled when it began to move towards the ground, obviously to stop for the evening. Zuko wanted to go inland and sneak up on the Avatar while he slept, but his guards' metal suits might wake him up. An easier solution would be to go alone, but then the other two would definitely attack him. There was no point wasting energy over night on his dully thought out plan, so he simply shot a blast of fire at the bison in anger. It had just gone below the tree line, the blast setting a distant pine on fire. "Maybe that'll burn them…" he said quietly. His Uncle came out, shaking his head. "Nephew, why are you creating forest fire? Nature is a delicate balance and should not be tampered with for anger release. I want you to go in there and set out the fire." Zuko looked at his uncle in shock, with an obstinate expression. "Why should I do the work of a water bender?" he asked a bit harshly. Iroh simply ordered the captain to lower the anchor near land.<p>

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><p>Katara bended herself a whip of water from her hip-pouch, attempting to douse the spreading fire. "It was Zuko! He's trying to kill us!" Sokka exclaimed. Aang tried to help Katara douse the flames, bending water the best he could. "I think that was his goal from the beginning, Sokka." The young air bender retorted. Flames engulfed the area at an alarming rate, making Appa uncomfortable and start to grumble. The group was definitely not in a good position.<p>

A moment passed and suddenly the flames began to die down, Katara finishing them off with a swipe of water. Sokka stared into the ashy terrain, "Who's there? I know you're out there! This wasn't a natural fire…" No reply came. After a moment, there was a familiar yell, and Zuko hurtled out of the forest, missing Aang by an inch. Aang blew a gust of air with his staff and flew out of his grasp, shock in his eyes. "Katara run! It was a trap!" he yelled, twirling his staff and floating higher. Katara nodded, beginning to run into the burnt forest. Zuko growled as he grabbed at Aang's feet. When he realized the air bender was too far from his grip, he shot fire at Katara, burning the backs of her heels and rendering her immobile. Zuko quickly ran to her side, grabbing her as prisoner once more. She snarled at him, using her water bending to heal the burn while it was fresh, before hitting Zuko with much force. He raised his fist, about to shoot fire at her again, before he remembered a scene from his dreams.

_A giant orange flame engulfed the small child as the Fire Lord laughed. He shot another, and then another blast, until there was nothing left of the child. _

Zuko hesitated to burn Katara, for the humanity of it, and instead punched her face, causing her to scream and water bend at him again. Zuko snarled at her and held both of her hands behind her back, limiting her bending range. "Either the Air bender comes with me, or I take the water tribe girl. Come forward, Avatar, if you want the pretty little thing to live!" he yelled up at the sky, where Aang hid perched in a tree. Aang couldn't stand the thought of Zuko keeping Katara away from him, but he didn't want to surrender so easily.

Sokka, however, had been waiting for the right moment. "Go boomerang!" he yelled a bit awkwardly, the angled weapon striking Zuko's head from the left. Sokka then caught the returning weapon, and ran for Zuko, attacking him like a wild man. Zuko growled at the pestering brother of Katara, and gripped her arm a bit tighter. "Do you _want_ to see your little sister in flames?" he asked harshly, lighting his free palm on fire. Sokka's eyes widened and he immediately hit Zuko in the back of the head with as much force as he could muster. The dazed Fire Nation prince fell forward, unconscious, on top of Katara, who tried to kick his limp body away.

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><p>"Looks like the tables have turned…" she said quietly, dusting herself off and setting the puppet-like body on the ashy forest floor. Aang flew down, smiling at Sokka. "Nice work there! Now what to do with his body…" the young Avatar contemplated after a moment, not wanting to harm the Fire Prince. Sokka's eyes gleamed for a moment. "I say we throw him into the ocean and let him drown. Then we won't have to worry about some lunatic man chasing us around the world. It'll make the Avatar's training go so much smoother." Katara and Aang both frowned at Sokka, no matter how right he was. Katara lightly nudged the body with her foot, half-expecting the prince to wake up and spring to his feet, attacking her again. Aang finally shook his head, "We can't just drown him. He's a person too. Let's take him back to his ship, at least this time he'll know we're much stronger than him…"Aang concluded. Katara nodded lightly, going to the shocked air bison and starting to prepare him for flight.<p>

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><p>Zuko, although unconscious, could hear everything the young kids said. He wondered to himself why the Avatar would want to keep him alive, instead of take his friend's good idea of throwing him into the ocean to drown. He couldn't quite understand the air bender's logic, but he was grateful he wouldn't be killed. Mistakes, he realized, were something he made one too many. Had he not attacked the Avatar, perhaps he wouldn't be unconscious. <em>Oh well<em>, he thought, _nothing to do now except wait for my body to come back…_

Although it was vague, Zuko could sense some type of warmth near his body, as if he was being held close to someone. His thoughts were brought to his mother, and how she would always stroke his hair when he couldn't sleep. She would sit there, for hours if she needed to, whispering soothing words and waiting for her soon to over-come his nightmares and go back to sleep. Sometimes she would forget to go back to her own room, and Zuko would be pleasantly surprised to awake cradled in her arms. It was such a contrast to how his father used to treat him.

After his banishment, Zuko seemed to mean nothing to his father. If he ever became ill, he would send a maid to check on him and give him what he needed, but never did he show any real concern. Perhaps, he thought, this was the reason why the Fire Lord was able to scar his own child… because he had already built up enough anger and hatred that it would be easy to take it out on a mere adolescent. How could anyone contain such anger within themselves? Zuko could not figure out the answer, so he left the thought, trying once more to reach back to his body, and wake up. He strained, but to no avail. He was going to be unconscious for awhile.

So he took to listening to his surroundings. He could hear the wind in his ears, as Appa soared across the sky. He wondered how it would feel if he was awake… perhaps like a ship? He tried to keep in his curiosity about the Avatar's daily life. How did they sleep at night, knowing that at any moment a wild animal could attack, or someone could steal their possessions…? Zuko knew he wouldn't be able to sleep through the worry. There were many things he took for granted, that the Avatar probably had to fret greatly about… albeit, the Avatar was but a kid, no older than himself. How could he handle all of it? He was the _Avatar_, sure, but he was only human… Zuko snapped out of his thoughts, realizing he was actually trying to understand his foe. If only he could wake up, he was right in their midst.

After a moment, Katara noticed that the fire bender was just beginning to stir. "Guys… Get ready to hold him down." She said quietly. She had been sitting rather close to him, afraid he might fall over if Appa ever made a swift turn. She knew that he was the enemy, but she didn't want to think about what might've happened had she let him roll off Appa's side. Aang was right; Zuko was human, even if that wasn't fair. She didn't want to have to sympathize with her enemy, but when it came to humanity… She shook herself out of her thoughts, ready to freeze or attack the prince.

Zuko's eyes shot open, and he shot straight up, thinking this was all a bad dream. When he saw just how high up in the sky he was, his skin became just a shade paler. He couldn't help but look over the side of Appa, seeing nothing but ocean and trees below. He glanced back at the Avatar and his friends, hoping they wouldn't decide to throw him over. "Just don't try anything stupid, and we'll have you at your ship." Aang said quietly, trying to keep the peace. Zuko was reluctant to make any sort of treaty with the Avatar, but right now the opposite party had the advantage. Zuko nodded, as his agreement.

"Why didn't you just kill me while you had the chance?" Zuko asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at the group. Katara looked away, not sure how to answer. Aang looked straight at Zuko, hoping the fire bender wouldn't go back on his word and become hostile. "We didn't kill you because you're a human too, Zuko. I don't have the right to take away the life you were given. You will have your own time." He explained carefully. Zuko scoffed, sitting cross legged. "How can I be sure you won't just push me off the side?" he asked skeptically. Katara smirked, "We can't be sure of you either, _Prince_." He frowned lightly at her tone, but realized she had a point. It was an eye for an eye in this situation. He sighed softly, staring out at the clouds. Zuko felt like a prisoner in this situation, unable to do anything other than sit.

Katara noticed that the fire bender hadn't moved away from her, so she scooted away, more towards her brother. She didn't want to talk in Zuko's presence, but Sokka held her hand reassuringly. She smiled softly at him, holding his hand tightly. He was as hesitant as she was about this.

Zuko glanced at them, a pained look striking his face. He remembered how Azula would treat him, always trying to be better. She could care less what happened to him, because she was power greedy. All she cared about was herself, which Zuko would guess she inherited from their father. He remembered all the times she would tease him, and then he saw how close Sokka and Katara were. They acted like a true family, while Zuko had no one apart from his Uncle.

"Uncle…" he said to himself. The old man was probably worried out of his mind. He had sent his nephew to put out a few flames, but hours afterwards he hadn't come back. Zuko hoped that his crazy uncle hadn't sent a search party for him. They would be wasting their time.

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><p>A silent hour passed, before Sokka finally couldn't take the awkward silence anymore. "So! I'd bet you haven't ever ridden a flying bison before?" he asked a bit nervously. Zuko gave Sokka a strange look, but he nodded, looking back out over Appa's saddle. "It's amazing that an animal could fly like this." He remarked, more to himself than anyone. Sokka nodded, smiling a bit. "I didn't believe it at first."<p>

Katara was glad the tense feeling was thinned, she felt like she could finally breathe again. She crawled over to where Aang sat, smiling at him. "How far are we?" she asked quietly. Aang looked out over Appa's head, then back at Katara, "Not long. Almost there…" he replied. He looked worried, though. The entire trip, he had been thinking about how Zuko might turn on them and attack. Katara put a hand on his shoulder, seeing the anxiety in his expression. "I'm sure it'll be okay. We just need to bide our time right." She assured him. Aang nodded with a soft smile, going back to the reins. How he loved having Katara with him on the journey.

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><p><strong>Hope you like! Please review ^^<strong>


	7. Falling

**A/N: Sorry once again for a delayed chapter. (And this one is pretty short too, sorry.) Real life is giving me a hard time. I never get a chance to write anymore. D: But now it's spring break, so I'll try my best to update as often as I can. Well… here it is. And, sorry that nothing ever makes sense. Guess you have to get used to it ^^;**

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><p><span>Falling<span>

The trees beneath Appa were bright green and lush, the sky above a clear blue, streaked by wispy clouds. It was a tranquil scene, yet the events that had occurred earlier were anything but...

A Fire Nation ship soon came into sight, docked on the opposite coast from the fire their Prince had started. Zuko smirked, happy that he would finally be on his own ship, and the treaty would be over. He still had a chance to capture Aang. Zuko had already begun to think of a plan, a scheme that he would have to get perfectly the first time. There would be no loopholes this time, nowhere for Aang to run. And then his honor would be returned. The thought of being accepted by his father, it made Zuko more and more anxious to land. This was another opportunity, and he wouldn't let it go to waste.

As Aang prepared to lower Appa, Katara eyed Zuko suspiciously, seeing the sly curve of his lips. It was obvious he was planning something... something devious. Thinking about that, she sighed, wondering if it was smart of them to just accept a treaty with him. He was Fire Nation, after all. _None_ of them could be trusted. So, she made her way over to where he sat, glaring all the while.

"What's that smile all about?" she asked sharply, not ready to let down her guard. Perhaps it would be best to simply tie him up until one of the soldiers took him in. Then there would be little chance for him to turn back on the treaty.

Zuko's smirk faded when Katara came over, knowing she was clever. "It's nothing of your concern, _water bender_. I'm just excited that I'll be on the surface again," He retorted, icy venom in the pronunciation of the title. His now stoic countenance didn't give away any of the plans he had made, only signified that he was not in the mood to make conversation. Zuko had to keep a sharp watch out, make sure he didn't miss any crucial moments. An argument with Katara would almost certainly distract him.

Completely doubtful of him, Katara narrowed her eyes. "I have everything to worry about when it comes to you, _Prince._" She retorted with just as much venom. "You've been trying to capture Aang since the first time you came across him, no way that a man like you can change." She wished that he would just leave the avatar alone one day, and let them complete his training in peace.

Change? Zuko smirked at her, before turning away and looking down over Appa's side. It was a long drop down… he considered the chances of surviving a plunge into the ocean from this high up. It didn't seem promising… but Katara was too kindhearted to push Zuko off the side. Had it been Azula, however, Zuko would've died a very long time ago. "I won't change until I have a reason to. Perhaps you have an idea?" When she had no response, Zuko couldn't help but give a small smile of triumph. Even if she had found a legitimate reason, he would've quickly countered it anyway. The Avatar's personal life mattered nothing to Zuko.

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><p>"We're here!" Aang yelled, landing his bison on the deck of Zuko's gleaming metal ship. Appa groaned loudly, not liking the sight of all the soldiers aiming at them… "Call off your men, Zuko. I thought we made an agreement," the young air bender demanded, not realizing what was actually happening until he felt hot hands burning his shoulders. "Welcome to my ship, Avatar. I am sure we will have a wonderful journey back to the Capital." Zuko threw Aang harshly into the metal deck, his body making a loud clang as he was too stunned to airbend a cushion to his fall. Several of the guards began to firebend, but he was quick to hop on his feet and deflect the fiery waves with his staff. "How could you do this?" he yelled at the grinning Prince, watching helplessly as the fire bender took hold of his friends. "Katara!" Zuko was burning her arms, his hands already bright orange from the flames. Aang couldn't look away, he had to save her! He had to get to her, somehow, someway. In his distraction, he didn't see the soldier with a spear charging for him… and everything went black.<p>

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><p>Aang woke up with his head pounding, his body freezing, and the dim lighting attacking his eyes. He struggled to get on his feet for a moment, but realized too soon that he was chained down. This was a cell on the Fire Nation ship, and he was headed for Fire Lord Ozai. The Avatar's heart sank as he realized that he let himself be captured. He began to think about Appa and Momo, Katara and Sokka. They were all somewhere, missing him, needing his help perhaps. "I let everyone down… again…" His voice came as a soft murmur, painful feelings reverberating in the tone. The Avatar hung his head as he waited for a miracle.<p>

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><p>For the first time in many nights, Zuko was able to sleep peacefully. His dreams did not jolt him awake before the Sun could bother rising, his thoughts wandered to happy places instead. He had finally done it, everything would turn out okay. There was nothing left to do but get back to his home, and take his rightful place as Ozai's son. Zuko would be honorable; he would have everything that he ever lost in his grasp once more. No longer would he have to hide in shame, no. This was a new beginning, and everything was falling to place as it should…<p> 


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